CHAPTER VIII.

HISTORY OF THE TEMPERANCE REFORM.

INTEMPERANCE, as we have seen, like an overflowing scourge spread over the land and the world. About the year 1800, with a population of 7,000,000, the annual consumption of spirits in the United States was 33,365,559 gallons-besides 15,000,000 gallons of wine and malt liquors!

A worthy physician, Dr. B. J. Clarke, of the town of Moreau in the state of New York, having surveyed the frightful ravages of this "all-pervading destroyer," became deeply solicitous for the welfare of his country, and exclaimed to a worthy clergyman-"We shall all become a nation of drunkards, unless something be done to arrest the progress of Intemperance." With a view to oppose this evil, Dr. Clarke, with the assistance of a few others, in April 1808, organized "The Temperate Society of Moreau and Northumberland," consisting at first of forty-three gentlemen. This appears to be the first society connected with the Temperance movement in this country. It held its meetings quarterly, and continued to exist until 1822. Its constitution was somewhat peculiar, and approximated towards teetotalism.

The following are its fundamental rules:

Art. 1. This Society shall be known by the name

of "The Temperate Society of Moreau and Northumberland."

Art. 4. No member shall drink rum, gin, whiskey, wine, or any distilled spirits, or compositions of the same, or any of them, except by advice of a physician, or in case of actual disease, (also excepting at public dinners,) under the penalty of twentyfive cents provided that this article shall not infringe on any religious rite.

Sec. 2. No member shall be intoxicated, under penalty of fifty cents.

Sec. 3. No member shall offer any of the above liquors to any person to drink thereof, under the penalty of twenty-five cents for each offence.

Not long after this, the Rev. Lyman Beecher, D. D. lifted up his voice in thunder tones in the pulpit, to arouse his countrymen to a sense of the danger that threatened every thing valuable in the social, civil, and religious interests of the nation, from the ravages of this destroyer. The efforts of Beecher and his coadjutors, to roll back the desolating tide of drunkenness, were not altogether unavailing. At the meeting of the General Association of Massachusetts, in 1811, a committee was appointed to organize a society, the object whereof was "to check the progress of intemperance-viewed by the association as a growing evil." This society, styled the "Massachusetts Society for the suppression of Intemperance," was organized on the 13th of February, 1813. Its influence, although considerable, was not sufficient to check very sensibly the growing evil.

At this period, the annual consumption of ardent

spirits amounted to 60,000,000 of gallons, exclusive of wines and malt liquors.

The effects of this frightful torrent of liquid fire upon the social affairs of the nation, were most terrific. Crime, pauperism, and insanity, increased in a fearful ratio. From sober calculations, made from the most reliable sources of information, it was ascertained that there were in the United States more than 300,000 drunkards, and that more than 30,000 die annually a drunkard's death, and are covered over with a drunkard's infamy. The amount of mortality as just stated annually from intemperance, may seem to be incredibly large; but it is confidently believed that this estimate falls far below the truth. There were at this time, 40,000 distilleries of ardent spirits in full operation in the United States: and can any man doubt that each of these fountains of death poisoned and destroyed more than one victim annually?

The question of absorbing interest now became— "What steps shall be taken to banish Intemperance ?"

For several years the subject had been brought before the public mind, and discussed to some extent. Dr. Benjamin Rush, M. D., of Philadelphia, brought the powers of his noble philanthropic mind to bear upon the effects of ardent spirits on the body and mind; and published the results of his inquiry in 1804. Dr. Beecher preached his six able sermons in 1811, on the Nature, Signs, Causes, and Remedies of Intemperance, which roused the public mind. The Rev. Mr. Edwards, of Andover, Mass.,

in 1814 preached a series of able sermons against intemperance. Thomas Herttell, of New York, took up the subject next, and discussed it with great force and ability in a work on "The Causes of Intemperate Drinking, and the means by which it may be obviated," which was published in 1819. In 1823, the Rev. Eliphalet Nott, D. D., published a volume of able and eloquent Sermons on Intemperance, which in a still higher degree aroused the public attention. In 1825, the question was still more generally discussed; and towards the close of this year, a meeting of benevolent persons was convened at Andover, Mass., for the purpose of forming an "American Temperance Society." After prayer, consultation, and discussion, it was unanimously resolved, that, as ardent spirits was the principal means of intemperance, its total abandonment was necessary to carry out their object. In this convention were many thorough-going temperance men; for although the moderation principle was agreed to, it was nevertheless resolved, that abstinence from all intoxicating liquors was essential to the complete extinction of the Evil.

The year 1826 is distinguished as a new epoch in the history of the temperance movement in this country. The Rev. Calvin Chapin, of Connecticut, discussed the subject this year, in a series of able articles, in the Connecticut Observer. His object was to show that entire abstinence from alcoholic drinks, is the only infallible remedy for Intemperance. Of what avail is it for a man to abstain from one kind of alcoholic drink, if he take the

same quantity of alcohol in wine, or cider? It was to this point that Dr. Chapin directed his attention. He seemed to go to the root of the matter, and awakened inquiry all over the land. This point had hitherto been neglected in most temperance societies. It was very common at this day to see persons who had signed the pledge, not to drink spirituous liquors, become intoxicated upon wine, beer, or cider. The temperance cause suffered immensely from this inconsistency. Still no harmonious and decisive action was taken among the societies, immediately, on this point.

A numerous convention of the friends of Temperance assembled in the city of Boston on the 10th of January, 1826, to devise methods of prosecuting the work with still greater vigor. A committee was appointed to prepare a draft of a constitution for an American Temperance Society. On the 18th of February following, the Constitution was presented, and adopted; and shortly after, an able address to the American people was prepared and extensively circulated. On the first of March following, the Rev. Dr. Hewitt commenced an agency for it, of twenty-two weeks.

During this year (1826) a paper, styled the "National Philanthopist," was established in Boston. The American Temperance Society grew in favor with the people. In 1827, Dr. Edwards, of Mass., undertook to raise money in Boston, and other places, for the support of a general agent for the society. A fund of not less than eight thousand dollars was soon collected.

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